Col. Timothy Alben of Massachusetts State Police on Friday said the law enforcement agencies haven't apprehended Dzhokar Tsarnaev, the suspect of Boston Marathon bombing, but the manhunt is still underway, and a lockdown of the city is lifted.
"We remain committed to this. We do not have an apprehension of our suspect. But we will," Alben said at a press briefing in Watertown, where the bulk of the manhunt is being conducted for the day. He noted that the authorities went through about 20 streets, visiting residents, searching homes and ensuring residents were not in harm's way.
Alben said he didn't have direct knowledge that the suspect is in the Boston area, but "his ties" are to Boston, so he may still be around, and he believes that Tsarnaev is "the only person we are looking for at this time."
Alben said as the manhunt clears much of the community, heavily armed tactical teams are being withdrawn, but the state police will keep troopers in Watertown for the next two or three days. He stressed that if people see Tsarnaev, they should not act on their own. "We need continuing cooperation to solve this."
At the same press briefing, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said a stay at home order has been lifted, and the city's public transportation system will reopen immediately.
"Keep a wary eye, but return to your normal routines," said Patrick.
At the press briefing, Alben also gave more details of what transpired Thursday night. He said the Tsarnaev and his older brother Tamerlan, who was also implicated in the bombing, were not involved in a convenience store robbery, but were caught by the store's security camera as they entered.
A shootout later ensued on the campus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, killing Tamerlan and a police officer. Alben said the brothers had explosives, and the authorities were not sure if they planned other attacks.
"They threw those at the police officers who were pursuing them, " said Alben.
It is because of the presence of the explosives and the ferocity of gunfight, the authorities justified their extraordinary decision of shutting down the region, said Patrick.
